Greece gave a reply to, as they said, "groups identifying themselves as ethnic Macedonians." It concluded with an explanation of the reason why Slavko
Mangovski, an American citizen, an editor of a Skopje-based Macedonian weekly, and a well-known activist for the rights of Macedonian minorities in the
region, was refused entry in Greece in late August 2000. According to the Greek delegation, he was presumed to "come in order to meet with Macedonian
activists, many of whom promote policies of open secession of a part of Greek territory," hence he is placed on the list of "undesirable" persons.

First, even if that were true, it would violate freedom of movement and freedom of expression. It would also be a call for all countries in the region to
ban entry of critical journalists on similar, arbitrarily defined, grounds. We know of many politicians and journalists from Southern Balkan countries,
who have irredentist views and frequently visit their neighbors, and we hope they will continue to do so, even if we disagree with such views.

Secondly, Mr. Mangovski had repeatedly visited Greece in recent years, including earlier on in 2000. We challenge the Greek authorities to provide even
one piece of evidence that Mr. Mangovski had previously engaged in separatist activities during his many visits, so as to justify their decision to put
him on the "blacklist," for the first time, in late August 2000.

Thirdly and most importantly, it is well known to anyone living in the area inhabited by the Macedonian minority in Greece, and to Greek authorities,
that no activist from any organization has ever promoted secessionism. On the contrary, the diplomat who spoke for the Greek delegation today, was a
guest, on behalf of his Ministry, in the special meeting our NGOs had organized for the OSCE HCNM in October 1999 in Athens. During that meeting,
representatives from the Macedonian and Turkish minorities, responding to an OSCE HCNM question, categorically condemned not only secession but also
autonomy as possible solutions to the many problems the two minorities face. These statements were subsequently published widely and have since been
available in the Internet sites of our NGOs, and many other ones. "Rainbow"'s related statement following that meeting is appended below (emphasis added).

Consequently, Greece's decision to brand any of the Macedonian activists as "separatists" is an intentional defamatory distortion of truth and a desperate
but futile effort to discredit human rights defenders, in violation of all international norms. Greece "arrogantly" refuses to deal with the Macedonians'
demands, that have been acknowledged in a supportive way even in this year's ECRI's "Second Report of Greece." As Greece-based NGOs, we can only regret that
a country that boasts of being "the cradle of democracy" resorts to such authoritarian methods. Our NGOs intend to take up this issue to all international
institutions, including the OSCE HCNM, the newly appointed UN Special Representative on Human Rights Defenders, and the UN CERD, which is reviewing Greece
in its next meeting, in January 2001.

On October 8, 1999, in Athens, representatives of RAINBOW met with Max van der Stoel, OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities, and his advisor,
Mr. John Packer.

In the two-hour meeting the position of the national minorities in Greece (Macedonian and Turkish) was reviewed as well as the lack of respect of the
rights of these minorities by the Greek state. The Rainbow representatives stressed that this behavior by the Greek state is incomprehensible considering
that Rainbow, as an organization of the Macedonian national minority, in its activities for the realization of the national rights of the Macedonians in
Greece, always declared (and behaved in the same way) that it respects the territorial integrity of the Greek state and condemns all kinds of autonomist
and separatist solutions. In the meeting it was underlined that not only the national rights of the Macedonians are not respected but also Rainbow's
appeals to the Greek political forces for the start of a dialog on minority questions are ignored. Lack of respect for the OSCE and UN human rights
standards was stressed in the meeting as well as the need for ratification of the "Framework Convention for the Protection of the National Minorities" of
the Council of Europe without further limiting clauses that could restrict the rights of the national minorities in Greece during the implementation of
the Convention.

Also present in the meeting were representatives of the Turkish national minority, representatives of Greek NGOs, institutions for human rights protection
as well as representatives of the Liberal Party (Fililefteri) and the Synaspismos Party.

Rainbow declares this to be the first meeting between representatives of the Macedonian national minority and the High Commissioner of OSCE on Greek
territory. We believe that this event will finally open the road towards a realistic approach of the problems of respect of the rights of the Macedonians
in Greece by the Greek Government.